Candidate: The candidate has been involved in clinically relevant basic science research during the post-doctoral studies. This training and the candidate's understanding of confounding clinico-pathologic issues have contributed to her commitment to pursue translational research in oral cancer. The immediate goal is internationally renowned clinician- scientists. The long-term goal is to become an independent translational scientist capable of bridging the gap between the laboratory bench and patient care. Environment: The University of Michigan is a nurturing environment for the clinician-scientist. The Cancer Center is internationally reputed for its pioneering work in clinical and biomedical research. The developments in basic science knowledge are translated into improvements in patient care. Research Career Development Plant: The plan encompasses the 5 year award period and includes supervised basic science and translational research rotations, Head and Neck Cancer Symposia, weekly signaling, research responsibility and ethics. Research Project: The overall objective of this proposal is to enhance the understanding of the molecular choices of oral cancer. Rap1, a ras-like protein, will be evaluated as a predictive biomarker for malignant transformation of precancerous human oral epithelial lesions. Additionally, a rap1B, a rap1 isoform, will be assessed as a candidate protein for prognosis prediction, when used as a biomarker for metastatic potential of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This would allow the identification of lesions that should be treated more aggressively. The third segment involves the design of a protocol to investigate the use of rap1A in gene therapy to treat residual epithelial dysplasia or squamous cell carcinoma lesions.